Neptune: Big Blue Giant
Credit & Copyright: NASA,
Voyager 2,
Copyright Calvin J. Hamilton
Explanation:
This picture was taken by the
Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1986 - the only spacecraft ever to visit
Neptune.
Neptune will be the farthest planet from the
Sun until 1999, when the elliptical orbit of
Pluto will cause it to once again resume this status.
Neptune, like
Uranus,
is composed mostly of liquid water, methane
and ammonia, is surrounded by a thick gas atmosphere of mostly hydrogen and
helium, and has many moons and rings.
Neptune's moon
Triton is unlike any
other and has active volcanoes. The nature of
Triton's unusual orbit around
Neptune is the focus of much discussion and speculation.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
